Works of art or places for people?

Andrew Hammond says that an interview with film director Peter Weir raises a challenge for urban design – work of art or places for people?

In an interview for the Weekend Australian, Weir says, ‘I actually squirm a little at that word ‘art. My priority is to entertain an audience and I want my movies to do well at the box office. I’m still surprised by how snobbish European directors can be at the Cannes Film Festival. They make good films but their manner can be so superior.” Andrew says he was struck by the corollary between film and urban design. Are we trying to design pieces of art for awards or places for people? Can we have weekly ‘box office’ statistics for places, as well as our peer reviewed awards?

Centennial Park, Cooma, NSW. Markets on a sunny Saturday morning. A park being used by people without a lot of design intervention.